Summer Premium Live and Catalog Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/6/2017
In early 1957, Billy Martin was on top of the world. The Yankees scrappy second baseman had singled in the run that won the 1956 World Series, and his drive and determination was recognized by the fans that voted him onto the All-Star team. Then came that fateful night out at the Copacabana nightclub. Details are foggy, but a fight that pitted Martin, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Hank Bauer against a table of drunken bowlers boiled over into bad publicity for the stodgy Yankees. To save face, the team traded the least valuable of the group - Martin - to the last place Kansas City Athletics. The move devastated Martin and he spent the rest of his career angling to get back in his beloved pinstripes.
This offered Hillerich & Bradsby M110 model bat shows heavy use with a repaired handle crack and was used by Martin in 1957. Many ball marks and stitch impressions are on the barrel along with green bat rack paint streaks. The barrel and handle have been scored and the model number “M110” has been stamped into the knob. Martin’s number “4” is hand-written on the knob in black marker. This bat comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (1B05711) for the game use and has been graded a GU 9.5.